The Child of the Prophecy
by queenofscripture
Summary: Morgana has discovered that she is the true heir to Camelot, but Arthur is not willing to give up the throne he was raised to inherit. The division splits the land: followers of magic support Morgana, while those who still fear magic stand strong at Arthur's side. Merlin is torn by his destiny: to protect Arthur, and by his heart: to join Morgana and be accepted who he is.
1. Notice

**I really hate the direction this story was going in so I have decided to keep the same idea, but completely re-work it. So I will be deleting the entire thing and re-writing it. Some parts will be the same, just re-written. All the characters were just getting too bipolar in this.**

**Hopefully the new version will be better!**

**Also, updates will be slower now that school is back in session.**


	2. Chapter 1

***Okay, long story short, I am reworking this story, still keeping a similar plot. I am making all the characters 17 at the beginning, so a bit younger than they are usually**

**Pre-Story: Morgana is the legitimate child of Igraine and Uther, but Uther was unsatisfied with a girl child, so sent Morgana off to the Isle of Avalon to be raised as a priestess, telling the people the child died at birth. Then after Igraine died giving birth to Arthur, Uther began the great purge, and loathed magic. He removed Morgana from Avalon and gave her to his best friend Gorlois' and his seemingly-barren wife Vivianne to raise, so that they might have a was still a secret devout follower of the old religion, and taught Morgana basic practices of it. Then miraculously, Vivianne gets pregnant, only to die giving birth, where the child died as well, when Morgana was ten. A few months later, Gorlois was killed in battle, and Morgana was brought back to Camelot to live as the King's ward, never knowing the truth. When she is 17, she meets Arthur's new servant, Merlin, and feels an instant connection to him. During the festival of Beltane, they give into their passion...and Morgana ends up pregnant. A year later, the child is born and has been given to a woman in a far away village to raise. Morgana has also learned that she has magic, and is terrified by this. Then, after an accident, Morgana learns she is the true heir to Camelot, and that Arthur is her brother. Feeling betrayed on many levels, she vows to get back her throne, no matter what the cost. She will enlist the help of Merlin, who is still besotted with her, despite her being cold to him for the past few months. The division splits the land: followers of magic support Morgana, while those who still fear magic stand strong at Arthur's side. Merlin is torn by his destiny: to protect Arthur, and by his heart: to join Morgana and be accepted who he is.**

Chapter One: One Magical Night

The first time had been on a warm may night, when the sun was just setting, and magic was in the air. Morgana had not even known about her powers then, but she could sense something in the air, and feel it when she laid her hands upon the earth when she had made her daily reverences in the garden, pretending she was just picking flowers. Her mother had been Druid-trained, and though it was outlawed after the great purge, Vivianne had still taken a delight in teaching the old ways to Morgana. Now, living under Uther's rule, it was difficult to do, but Morgana had her ways... quickly pouring wine into her herb garden as an offering to the goddess, perhaps a soul-cake thrown into the bushes. Less frequently, she would take a trip to her nemeton, a sacred grove in the forest. A lone tree in the forest was hardly suspicious, but Uther was curious as to where she was going, and forced her to take guards with her after she had come back very late one day. The whole point of going to her sacred grove was ruined by the presence of guards, so when she went now, it was secretly, and she walked there instead of riding.

It had been the night of Beltane, and Morgana had been secretly excited, nobody knowing the true reason for her joy. It was because Beltane was a holy day to her. Now of course, she had not had the chance to sneak out to the Beltane fires every year, but when she did, it was usually a short-lived affair, leaving early for fear of being questioned by Uther as to her whereabouts. Morgana was surprised Uther even allowed celebrations of the holidays of the old religion, but then again, Uther was never one to turn down an excuse for a feast. Where the common people might be dancing by fires and participating in the sacred rights, which Uther so conveniently ignored, the nobles were sure to be having a banquet complete with formal dancing and in place of bonfires, fire-eating and flame-jugglers.

That May evening, after she had said she was going to retire to bed, she met Merlin at the Eastern gate, and they ran off together to go see the bonfires.

The orange flames were still dancing high when they got there at midnight. Morgana was safe from being recognized by the common people, her bejeweled silk gown and velvet cloak shielded by the black cover of the night.

She and Merlin had danced and laughed and drunk to the wild music, forgetting to care about anything but each other's company.

Then, with the music still blaring, and bonfires still crackling wildly, they had given in to their desires in the forest, like so many other couples had that night. It had hurt at first, but the after-effect made up for it. Morgana had never realized such pleasure was possible. She hadn't even thought about what could be the result of such an act.

But now, four months later, as she stared in horror at the mirror at her protruding stomach, she knew all too well what was happening to her.

There had been a few more times since that night, so she wasn't positive when she had actually begotten this...child.

She hadn't dared to tell anyone. Not even Gwen. And especially not Merlin.

Something had to be done about it. Corsets and loose gowns could only hide it for so long.

She was terrified. If Uther found out, she would be married off in disgrace, and Merlin would likely be executed. And she was not allowing that to happen. It was just as much her fault as his.

Morgana lay down on her soft bed, pulling the silk sheets around her body, and covering her head with a pillow. Then she cried, her loud wailing sobs muffled by the huge feather pillow. She had noticed that frequent crying was another unfortunate side effect of her condition.

Feeling a little bit better after the release of emotions, she forced herself out of bed, then slowly out the door, and even more slowly down the hallway.

"Just do it," she kept repeating to herself over and over again as she walked down the hall. The door to Gaius' room was looming there.

Morgana thought she was going to be ill. How was she going to explain this to Gaius?

Pressing the side of her head against the wall, she inhaled and exhaled deeply, attempting to calm herself.

"Well, here goes," Morgana hissed to herself, pushing the door open.

Gaius was busy brewing a potion and humming to himself. He didn't notice her at first.

"Gaius?" Morgana said, walking into the room. Words kept swirling around in her head. "Gaius, I have a problem." "Gaius, I need a certain herbal remedy." "Gaius, what am I going to do?"

"Oh!" Gaius exclaimed, getting up. "How can I help you, my child?"

At the word 'child,' Morgana burst into tears.

"Oh no! What is it?!" Gaius sat her down on a chair, gave her a blanket, and then pulled a chair up for himself. "You can tell me, child."

"That's just the problem Gaius! I'm not a child!" Morgana wailed. "I…I'm _with_ child."

Gaius looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"You have to help me!" Morgana begged. "You must know something."

"You wish to rid yourself of the child?" Gaius asked, looking unhappy.

She shrugged. What else could she do? She couldn't very well walk around court visibly pregnant. "I don't have any other choice. I don't want to do it, believe me, I don't, but I'm afraid I have no other option."

Gaius frowned, and scanned her head to toe. "There is a way."

"What?" Morgana asked, confused.

Gaius beckoned her to come closer, and then whispered, "You know I was a physician before the great purge, when certain _arts_ were acceptable. There are ways to create illusions, to hide things. But it is forbidden and I will not play with such _arts_ unless someone is very desperate. My head is on the line to do so."

"Oh yes! Oh yes, Gaius please! You know I wouldn't say anything to Uther. His persecution of such _arts_ is merciless. I won't say anything. Please!" Morgana begged him.

Gaius nodded. "You are a small woman. It won't be hard."

Morgana sighed a sigh of relief and leant back against her chair. Quietly, she began praying to the gods and the goddess in thanks, and promise for an offering. She felt it could do no harm if Gaius was willing to use the old ways.

But Gaius reprimanded her, telling her to stop speaking such blasphemous words.

She began to protest, but Gaius stopped her and said, "You must be quiet. No words are safe here."

She wiped her eyes and nodded. He was right. It was stupid to speak of the old religion in the walls of Camelot.

"When can you have this…remedy ready?" Morgana removed the blanket from her shoulders, folding it nicely and setting it back on the table.

"A few days, nothing more. I will come to you when it is ready," Gaius replied as he pulled books off his bookshelf. "I just need to confirm some things."

Morgana nodded. "Do you need some help getting those down?"

"Oh no, my lady, especially not in your condition! The best thing you can do is rest." Gaius successfully pulled down a large ancient-looking book.

"Oh…right," Morgana said. This was all so new to her.

"And don't drink any wine from now on," Gaius added.

"Oh…alright. I didn't know that either." Morgana looked down at the ground, feeling as upset as she had when she came in. Most women expecting a child were surrounded by women who had gone through it themselves, with ladies to help them attend to every need and health concern, and to tell them what to do and not to do. The only person she could ask was a sixty-something-year old man.

"My lady, do you know how far along you are?" Gaius asked.

Morgana instinctively touched her stomach. "No. I mean…I don't know which time this happened. Anywhere from one to four months ago."

Gaius' eyes widened when she said that. "There was more than one time."

Morgana let go of her stomach. "Three." She looked up, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry…you didn't need to know that. This all must be very awkward for you, Gaius."

"I am simply doing my job as a physician." Gaius said no more than that.

"I think I will give it to a childless village woman, along with a small fortune. Then she can raise my child and my child will live in comfort for the rest of his life. Then I can pretend this never happened. I will go there to give birth," Morgana informed Gaius of her plan.

"But you have no idea when that will be…" Gaius opened the huge book, and began flipping the pages.

"Yes. I'm quite sure it will be in six months. I'm quite sure I understand the signs now. It was three months ago," Morgana said, trying to not look horrified at having to carry this secret for six more months.

"You must keep a close eye on it no matter what. Regardless of if it does not appear to be there, it still is. You must take care," Gaius warned her.

"Of course. I need to go now. I must go get ready for dinner," Morgana said. She felt awkward and embarrassed and wanted to get out of there.

"Good luck," Gaius said as he walked over to her, "You can always come to me if you need help. Your secret is safe with me."

Morgana burst into tears again.

Gaius gave her a hug. "There, there," he said, trying to comfort her. "At least the visual aspect will be invisible in a few days."

Morgana nodded and wiped her eyes, composing herself. She could not be crying when she walked through the halls, lest she run into anyone she knew. She opened the door to leave.

"My lady?" Gaius asked, "You so not have to answer me if you do not wish...but who is the father?"

Morgana opened her mouth to speak. "You mustn't tell him. Please do not tell him. The child will be adopted out and that will be the end of it. It will be as if it never happened. Please."

"Who?" Gaius asked.

"Merlin," she whispered.

"Who?" Gaius repeated, clearly not hearing her the first time.

Suddenly she felt a presence behind her, turning to face it; she saw that it was Merlin.

She glanced at him, then at Gaius, whose eyes widened in realization.

Then with one last look at Merlin, she pushed past him and fled.


End file.
